Win hearts with this stunning heart-shaped red velvet cake. As experienced bakers, we've perfected this moist, velvety classic for flawless results every time.
Important: For the heart shape you need 2 baking tins: one round and one square with a diameter of 20 cm.
1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees. Grease the two baking tins with butter, dust lightly with flour and set aside.
2. In a stand mixer bowl, beat the butter with the sugar until light and fluffy (a hand mixer works too). Gradually add the eggs, beating until fully incorporated.
3. Mix the buttermilk with the vanilla extract and add red food coloring until bright red. Adjust drops based on your dye's intensity—start small and build up.
4. Sift the flour with the cocoa powder.
5. With the mixer on, alternate adding half the buttermilk mixture, then half the flour mixture, followed by the rest of each. Scrape down the bowl and mix until evenly colored.
6. Stir in the baking soda and vinegar until combined. Divide batter between tins and bake 30-35 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Cool cakes in tins briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
8. For the frosting, beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar until incorporated.
9. Mix in vanilla extract and beat 5 minutes more for light, fluffy texture—avoid overbeating to prevent runniness.
10. Halve both cooled cakes; also halve the round cake across the top for four semicircles. Anchor the first square cake on a plate with a teaspoon of frosting. Layer with frosting, add the second square, then position two semicircles to form the heart base. Top with remaining semicircles, frost entirely, and chill.
1. Melt one Red Velvet bar au bain-marie, strain through a sieve, and drizzle over the chilled cake for even pink coverage that drips beautifully down the sides.
2. Adorn the base with chocolate circles from the second bar. Scatter remaining rounds and white edible hearts on top. Et voilà!
